Bosch RA1181 Benchtop Router Table
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List Price: Our Price: $184.99 You Save: $173.76 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Bosch RA1181 Benchtop Router Table
Customer Review: Almost perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
There's a lot to like about this complete router table solution: All the right parts are there and the system works very well . . .mostly. After using the table, I discovered that a few things could be improved to make it more agreeable to work with. Start with the fence. I need to remove the fence for storage, and I spend several minutes just mounting/unmounting the fence each time. I think it would be a lot better if there were a quick-connect mechanism rather than the threaded knobs. Also, the idea of a duplex power recepticle that can control a vacuum is great, but Bosch chose to mount it under the front panel facing back, where you need to climb under the table to find and connect a power cord. Instead of puting it in this most hard to reach place, why not mount it on the rear where you can reach it? I realize the tool is designed to be portable, and these may not be issues used like that, but I installed the table on a rolling cart with storage underneath. Other than that, it's a fine piece of design, and the price puts it in a category of it's own.Customer Review: Bargain Priced Router Table
Summary: 5 Stars
After much research I decided on the Bosch RA1181 router table. I was able to purchase it new on Amazon for $152.00 with free shipping which was as low as I had ever seen this table. The quality of the table and fence system is as good or better than tables I looked that cost twice as much and more. Even though $180.00 is the most common price range for this table this still holds true. The pre-drilled mounting plate will accomodate mounting for many popular routers, you can check compatibility before ordering. Unfortunately, my Triton router was not one of those models but I was able to use one of the existing holes and drill the other 3 without a problem and I was ready to go. A router table is only as good as the fence system in my opinion and the fence system on the RA1180 is simply unheard of in router tables in this price range. Usually, they consist of plastic and are not what you would call "precision" devices. The fence system on this table is all about precision and it's made from strong extruded aluminum. It comes with a nice set of featherboards and a very efficient dust collection port for you to connect your shop vac to. The table top is surprisingly large when compared to other tables in this price range. Compared to some of the competition, it looks downright HUGE. When you look at the junk tables on the market that hover around the $150.00 mark, there is no doubt in my mind that this is by far the best bargain in the benchtop router table arena.Customer Review: Best "small" table on the market
Summary: 5 Stars
After checking out a number of other benchtop router tables and not being terribly impressed, I had resigned myself to making my own router table. That is, I was until I found this item on Amazon and read the reviews -- and I'm glad I did. The unit has plenty of table-top space for working individual pieces or whole cabinet doors and the machining is excellent. The assembly is pretty straight-forward (the toughest part is differentiating between the types of bolts) and I was up and running in 30 minutes after opening the box. It's surprising light AND sturdy and having provisions to plug 2 items into the on-off safety switch (use one for your vacuum) is a great plus. The only real negatives are that the fence adjustments are a little coarse and the guides for the featherboards and chip guard aren't captive so they can be a little tricky putting on. Seeing how effective the unit is once I got it (especially with the RA1165 under-table router base) made the repeated shipping delays all the more aggravating.Customer Review: Best value in a benchtop router table
Summary: 5 Stars
This Bosch router table was for my money, the best value I could find. It's sturdily built and has a great fence system. The fence system can make or break a table like this and this one makes it. The only issue I had was that there was no hole pattern on the mounting plate for my Triton router so I had to drill holes in the plate before I could mount my router. I can't blame Bosch because Triton didn't use a more standard mounting pattern. The mounting plate is actually quite well done and will accomodate most other router mounting patterns. The table has a metal work surface instead of the much cheaper MDF many tables use today and the molded plastic body is very sturdy yet light. It also has its own on/off switch built into the table. You just plug your router in to the table receptacle and the table switch will then control the router's on/off functions. I highly recommend this table to anyone and everyone.Customer Review: Bosch RA1181 Router Table
Summary: 5 Stars
I am most impressed with this table, particularly in what I received for the price. I was not expecting the quality of the workmanship to be this high on a table with plastic legs. The plastic is very thick and it helps keep the weight down. The surface area is great for just about any project. I am using a craftsman router and am a little dissappointed in not being able to adjust the bit easily (I hear a Bosch router can be adjusted from the top with an allen wrench. Might be my next purchase). Otherwise, the router mounted to the table with little trouble and is very stable. I would recommend this table for anyone who is just getting started and even the professional who is loooking for something lightweight.